IATF-EID backs resumption of face-to-face classes in areas with low COVID-19 cases

Malacañang said Thursday that the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will recommend the resumption of  limited face-to-face classes in areas with low number of COVID-19 cases to President Rodrigo Duterte.

“The presentation will show that the benefits of pilot face-to-face classes in areas with low COVID-19 cases outweigh the risk,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“The presentation should be made soon before the opening of classes in September and should help the President make the decision,” he added.

The government’s COVID-19 vaccination program does not cover those aged 17 and below.

A poll conducted by the Movement for Safe, Equitable, Quality and Relevant Education (SEQuRE Educ Movement) on public school students last June has showed that at least 66% of students learned less under distance learning set up amid the pandemic largely because of lack of access to computers and internet connection due to high costs.

The poll, done on 1,299 public students across the country and presented by Professor Lizamarie Olegario of the University of the Philippines' College of Education, revealed that the highest percentage of those who learned less under remote learning at 86.7% was recorded among the ranks of those under the modular learning or those who study based on printed modules.

On the other hand, 74% of those under blended learning (partly online, partly modular) said they learned less compared with pre-pandemic times.

Those under full online learning were also no better, with 66% saying they learned less.—AOL, GMA News